Penguins Trade Deadline: Buyers and Sellers?

[FLPensFan]

With this run of wins in December, the Penguins have put themselves just outside a playoff position. If the team continues to get more solid efforts, they may be in a position where they are both buyers and sellers the deadline.


1) The For Sale sign: Pettersson should be priority #1 to move. Nieto, Acciari, Hayes, Grzelcyk, Nedejkovic and Beauvillier should be available should any team come asking. I also might include DOC and Puljujarvi in that list as well. Rakell would be the question mark. If they are playoff bound, with his term left, they likely don't move him at the deadline, otherwise, he's in the top 20 of most national media trade boards.

2) Buying with what?: If this team wants to strengthen their playoff chances (maybe win a round, not thinking a Cup final is possible), what do they need and what should they be willing to give? On the latter portion, I would not be paying 1st or 2nd round picks, and I would not give up any top prospects like Pickering, Blomqvist, Murashov, Broz, Koivunen, Brunicke, etc. But, I would be willing to move out a Poulin or a Puustinen if they were attached to a late round pick to help strengthen the team. And maybe I'd even consider a hockey trade, something like Pettersson and DOC for Hoglander, Juulsen, and a 2nd.

This team should absolutely not be in the market high end players, unless it's a hockey trade. 1st, 2nds and prospects should be off limits unless we are replacing those assets in other deals (ie, move a 2nd and pieces to gain a 1st).

The Pettersson/DOC trade for Hoglander, 2nd, and Juulsen/Brannstrom type of trade would intrigue me.
So would something like Rakell for Boeser, if VAN decided they weren't re-signing Boeser and wanted a similar type player with term and lower $$$.

But Dubas can't drift from the main goal of acquiring longer term assets and picks this year. Once again, another juggling act may be upon us.

[Victor]

I hope Dubas sticks to same mentality from last year - playoffs are a possibility, but they are trading away pending UFAs anyway. A hockey trade or a deal like the Guentzel one - quality for quantity - is something that might make sense. Depth for LD is thin though, I guess Pickering is fine in the top 4, but Graves, POJ and Shea aren't. I'm also counting that Grzelcyk is as good as gone either during or after this season.

I'd prefer to stay away from Hoglander. He's a bottom 6 guy that Vancouver resigned for 3 million for 3 more years after having a career year last season. He's a LW and I don't know if he'd be higher in the depth chart than Bunting and DOC. Replacing DOC with him would be an idea if he didn't have that extension in place.

Pettersson should have some competition as a trade target come deadline time. Provorov will probably be available, as well as Lindgren. Yours truly Mike Matheson might end up in the trade block too, but there aren't many names after that. Their teams are currently in a playoff spot now, but Gavrikov, Chychrun and Pionk are all on the last year of their deals.

[Wyopen]

There is no way Pettersson gets traded if the Pens are in a playoff spot by the deadline. You think Crosby was sulking last year after the Guentzel trade, look for part 2 if traded.

[EndO FanEra]

Sure, why not?

Buying: I'd be buying for next year and the following 2 or 3 though, not for a playoff push for this year. I mean, hopefully you can do both, but I wouldn't be going after any rentals or aging players (unless we're getting a pick/prospect back to take someone off a team's hands). I'd target buying prospects as well as players that can help in the near term.

Selling: I guess I'd put them in 3 categories:

1. Must trade: Nieto (or waive), Hayes (might have to eat salary or add a pick/prospect), Acciari (take the best offer)

2. Try to trade: Petterson (if you can't get a decent enough offer, just sign him for the next 5-7 years. We'll have cap space and he can help steady the D while mentoring some younger guys. He'll probably want a few year NTC or something, but you could always trade him down the road as well). Karlsson (see what you can do. If there's nothing reasonable, try again in the offseason). Grzelcyk (hopefully somebody will be interested. Take whatever you can get, it's not about the return.) Graves (See what's out there. If you can find something that makes sense, go for it. If not, ride it out and see how he does under a different coach/system). Beauvillier (Hopefully you can get something, if not, ride it out). DOC (see what you can get. Personally, I'd rather give him a shot under another coach/system than trade him away for a 3rd. A 2nd or similar player or prospect, I'm listening.) Jarry/Ned (I'd prefer Jarry gone, of course, but one of them should go. See what you can do with Jarry first, and if there's nothing that works, take what you can get for Ned I guess).

3. Trade if you get a pretty good offer or the player requests a move: Rakell, Bunting, Rust, Geno, Letang. See how the season goes. If it looks like there's a legit shot at a playoff run, maybe hang on to Rakell and Bunting unless someone makes you a great offer. Reassess their situation in the offseason. Rust/Geno/Letang, only if they want out.

The rest either don't matter that much or could be part of the future (maybe that's a 4th category)?

I'm not confident that they will make the playoffs though. I'm enjoying watching them playing fairly well over the last stretch here, but I don't think they will be able to replicate this later in the season. I think it's hard for them to keep up with these teams and they're going to wear out as the season goes on. But, stranger things have happened, and I'll never doubt how far #87 can drag this team.

I just hope we're on a completely different path at the start of next season (maybe a 30% roster turnover with a focus on youth and needs, to go along with a brand-new coaching staff and system).

[Daniel]

Sure, why not?

Buying: I'd be buying for next year and the following 2 or 3 though, not for a playoff push for this year. I mean, hopefully you can do both, but I wouldn't be going after any rentals or aging players (unless we're getting a pick/prospect back to take someone off a team's hands). I'd target buying prospects as well as players that can help in the near term.

Selling: I guess I'd put them in 3 categories:

1. Must trade: Nieto (or waive), Hayes (might have to eat salary or add a pick/prospect), Acciari (take the best offer)

2. Try to trade: Petterson (if you can't get a decent enough offer, just sign him for the next 5-7 years. We'll have cap space and he can help steady the D while mentoring some younger guys. He'll probably want a few year NTC or something, but you could always trade him down the road as well). Karlsson (see what you can do. If there's nothing reasonable, try again in the offseason). Grzelcyk (hopefully somebody will be interested. Take whatever you can get, it's not about the return.) Graves (See what's out there. If you can find something that makes sense, go for it. If not, ride it out and see how he does under a different coach/system). Beauvillier (Hopefully you can get something, if not, ride it out). DOC (see what you can get. Personally, I'd rather give him a shot under another coach/system than trade him away for a 3rd. A 2nd or similar player or prospect, I'm listening.) Jarry/Ned (I'd prefer Jarry gone, of course, but one of them should go. See what you can do with Jarry first, and if there's nothing that works, take what you can get for Ned I guess).

3. Trade if you get a pretty good offer or the player requests a move: Rakell, Bunting, Rust, Geno, Letang. See how the season goes. If it looks like there's a legit shot at a playoff run, maybe hang on to Rakell and Bunting unless someone makes you a great offer. Reassess their situation in the offseason. Rust/Geno/Letang, only if they want out.

The rest either don't matter that much or could be part of the future (maybe that's a 4th category)?

I'm not confident that they will make the playoffs though. I'm enjoying watching them playing fairly well over the last stretch here, but I don't think they will be able to replicate this later in the season. I think it's hard for them to keep up with these teams and they're going to wear out as the season goes on. But, stranger things have happened, and I'll never doubt how far #87 can drag this team.

I just hope we're on a completely different path at the start of next season (maybe a 30% roster turnover with a focus on youth and needs, to go along with a brand-new coaching staff and system).

I think even if they make the playoffs it'll just add another 4-7 games to the season and make next season even worse. I think the best this season can offer is a top 5 pick and get rid of most of the roster. I have no confidence they'll do that since Dubas is pretty overrated up to now. Was lukewarm when they got him and not that impressed with his time in Toronto. Think Sullivan is stale within this organization and they'll probably never win a playoff series as long as he's the coach.

[KG]

KD should be gauging the market for MP. If the market is only a 2nd round pick and a mid prospect then just re-sign MP if it's not over the top AAV. They could always sign him and trade him in a few years for the same type of package.

[Daniel]

KD should be gauging the market for MP. If the market is only a 2nd round pick and a mid prospect then just re-sign MP if it's not over the top AAV. They could always sign him and trade him in a few years for the same type of package.

I'd take the 2nd for him unless he was the only player left from the purge. If Dubas can get rid of about 1/2 the roster, maybe keep him, otherwise I'd get rid of him. Pettersson great and I'd love to keep him, but he'll probably be too old after a rebuild and has more value getting assets back for the rebuild.

[Antonio]

Sell Mortimer Sell!

[dark_forces]

KD should be gauging the market for MP. If the market is only a 2nd round pick and a mid prospect then just re-sign MP if it's not over the top AAV. They could always sign him and trade him in a few years for the same type of package.

I'd take the 2nd for him unless he was the only player left from the purge. If Dubas can get rid of about 1/2 the roster, maybe keep him, otherwise I'd get rid of him. Pettersson great and I'd love to keep him, but he'll probably be too old after a rebuild and has more value getting assets back for the rebuild.

Assuming the team is near a playoff spot, perhaps they take a different path and deal Pettersson for futures (including a 2nd rounder) and then turn around and deal those futures + to Buffalo (who's reportedly listening on just about everyone) for Bowen Byram. That way, they're still getting younger and are revamping on the fly.

[Posterboy]

Assuming the team is near a playoff spot, perhaps they take a different path and deal Pettersson for futures (including a 2nd rounder) and then turn around and deal those futures + to Buffalo (who's reportedly listening on just about everyone) for Bowen Byram. That way, they're still getting younger and are revamping on the fly.

Speaking of BUF and assuming the Pens are in a playoff spot at the deadline, would anyone consider bringing Zucker back? While not a move for getting younger or revamping on the fly he could slot back on Malkin's LW fairly seamlessly I would think. He's a UFA at season's end so it's not a long term commitment but I'm not good at guessing what it would take to get him. Mid-round pick?

[Puck-Lurker]

We will not make the playoffs.

But if by some fluke we are still well in the race:

Trade any and all pending UFAs and try to get stuff for the future. Pettersson should be absolutely gone. Love the guy's body of work here but he wil need a raise next year. And we will not be some contender team next year, so expect to pay a premium. Expecting and hoping he goes the Guentzel route and we get as much as possible for him. Preferably not a tiny winger.

If you can get anything at all for Nieto, Hayes, Acciari.. move em. I don't think you can, they've been almost exclusively crap. If you can ship out Hayes and attach a 5th rounder, maybe with 1M retained, that's worth it, but I would otherwise just leave him on the roster and maybe just waive him. Nieto and Acciari should be in WBS or traded. Make room for some young guy to try and make an impression.

Rust, Rakell, Letang.. if there's a really good offer on the table. I will take a (mid or late) 1st rounder thank you.

Malkin.. you're going to offer more than you should and criminally overpay, plus Geno wants out. Else, no, get lost.

Puustinen, Puljujärvi.. if you can get really upgrade the team through trading them.

Pickering, Blomqvist. Do not touch. Same for Ponomarev, Koivunen, Broz, Murashov etc.

[largegarlic]

I think it's pretty obvious that they should and will be sellers. One minor point of disagreement with what others have mentioned...I don't think they can move Hayes. They got paid to take his contract for a reason, and we're seeing that he's a marginal 4th-liner. It doesn't make sense to me to pay someone else to take him. That just negates what Dubas got for him in the summer. It sucks seeing him get a sweater every night, but we'll have to get used to taking on bad contracts for picks and seeing those guys in the lineup or at least on the roster. That's part of being a rebuilding team in the cap era.

If they do "buy", I think it will be cheap, minor deals for relatively young guys like Tomasino, who have some potential upside but aren't working out on their current team.

[100565]

If they are in playoff spot a week before deadline (or with a couple points)I could see them making a hockey trade or make a depth move (injury dependent. Something like a third or fourth for depth D or F).

If they are out of playoff spot (4 or more points out), then sell. Pettersson, DOC, or any pending UFAd for whatever (without retaining or adding sweetener). If they move Pettersson, then try to find cap dump (1-2 years remaining) from contender with picks attached. (I would retain on Pettersson to get a first. Otherwise, I would not retain in anyone).

I would trade Nieto, Accari, Hayes if I could. However, I don’t think I could. I certainly do not retain or attach sweetener as cap dump to move them.

[Daniel]

KD should be gauging the market for MP. If the market is only a 2nd round pick and a mid prospect then just re-sign MP if it's not over the top AAV. They could always sign him and trade him in a few years for the same type of package.

I'd take the 2nd for him unless he was the only player left from the purge. If Dubas can get rid of about 1/2 the roster, maybe keep him, otherwise I'd get rid of him. Pettersson great and I'd love to keep him, but he'll probably be too old after a rebuild and has more value getting assets back for the rebuild.

Assuming the team is near a playoff spot, perhaps they take a different path and deal Pettersson for futures (including a 2nd rounder) and then turn around and deal those futures + to Buffalo (who's reportedly listening on just about everyone) for Bowen Byram. That way, they're still getting younger and are revamping on the fly.

Not sure about Byram, 4th overall pick, would be traded twice before 25. I'd ask why Buffalo wants to trade him first. It might be because they have Dahlin and Power as LH defensemen, which kinda makes the trade from the Avalanche pretty dumb, but it is the Sabres.

[Daniel]

Assuming the team is near a playoff spot, perhaps they take a different path and deal Pettersson for futures (including a 2nd rounder) and then turn around and deal those futures + to Buffalo (who's reportedly listening on just about everyone) for Bowen Byram. That way, they're still getting younger and are revamping on the fly.

Speaking of BUF and assuming the Pens are in a playoff spot at the deadline, would anyone consider bringing Zucker back? While not a move for getting younger or revamping on the fly he could slot back on Malkin's LW fairly seamlessly I would think. He's a UFA at season's end so it's not a long term commitment but I'm not good at guessing what it would take to get him. Mid-round pick?

I didn't want Zucker the first time and he hasn't gotten better.

[pekkasteele]

I just hope that this stint of Ws will make someone believe we have a chance and not trade for picks at the deadline.

And also, wth, when we finally looks like we are starting the rebuild and be able to actually will be able to get a good player at the draft, stinky Sully stop to suck and will win so we miss that opportunity ag the top 5 pick. Why does Sully ALWAYS have to disappoint ...

[penscup]

I just hope that this stint of Ws will make someone believe we have a chance and not trade for picks at the deadline.

And also, wth, when we finally looks like we are starting the rebuild and be able to actually will be able to get a good player at the draft, stinky Sully stop to suck and will win so we miss that opportunity ag the top 5 pick. Why does Sully ALWAYS have to disappoint ...

Yeah like when he coached this team to Back2Back Stanley Cup Championships. What a disappointment that was!!

[Antonio]

I just hope that this stint of Ws will make someone believe we have a chance and not trade for picks at the deadline.

And also, wth, when we finally looks like we are starting the rebuild and be able to actually will be able to get a good player at the draft, stinky Sully stop to suck and will win so we miss that opportunity ag the top 5 pick. Why does Sully ALWAYS have to disappoint ...

Yeah like when he coached this team to Back2Back Stanley Cup Championships. What a disappointment that was!!

Remind me again why Disco Dan is not still the head coach? Better regular season record, better playoff record, won a Stanley Cup here....

[Puck-Lurker]

I just hope that this stint of Ws will make someone believe we have a chance and not trade for picks at the deadline.

And also, wth, when we finally looks like we are starting the rebuild and be able to actually will be able to get a good player at the draft, stinky Sully stop to suck and will win so we miss that opportunity ag the top 5 pick. Why does Sully ALWAYS have to disappoint ...

Yeah like when he coached this team to Back2Back Stanley Cup Championships. What a disappointment that was!!

Remind me again why Disco Dan is not still the head coach? Better regular season record, better playoff record, won a Stanley Cup here....

I detect some slight antagonism towards Bylsma and Sullivan

[Antonio]

I just hope that this stint of Ws will make someone believe we have a chance and not trade for picks at the deadline.

And also, wth, when we finally looks like we are starting the rebuild and be able to actually will be able to get a good player at the draft, stinky Sully stop to suck and will win so we miss that opportunity ag the top 5 pick. Why does Sully ALWAYS have to disappoint ...

Yeah like when he coached this team to Back2Back Stanley Cup Championships. What a disappointment that was!!

Remind me again why Disco Dan is not still the head coach? Better regular season record, better playoff record, won a Stanley Cup here....

I detect some slight antagonism towards Bylsma and Sullivan

Nope..just responding to the assertion that Mike Sullivan is not a disappointment because he won 2 cups...as if that means he earned lifelong immunity for his pitiful performances. Bylsma has a better record as coach here, had a better playoff record, and also won a Cup and it did not save him from being ejected post haste.

As I said before...

DB record in Pit...401 games, 252-117-32.... W% .668... Playoffs...78 games, .551 WP - 1 SC

MS record in Pit...705 games, 390-233-82.... W% .611... Playoffs...82 games (in 4 more seasons), .537 WP - 2 SC

NO ONE reveres Disco, no one thinks he should still be here, no one thinks he should have stayed longer....certainly no one would argue that his performance earned him another season or 5 like someone else. Even through his first 425 games with PIT (to be more "equal", MS was 251-131-43 W% .641...still worse technically) and that does not include MS first coaching gig where he was 70-56-38 W% .542 through 164 games and 3-4 in the 1 playoff series he got to. Just like Disco...who could not replicate his success after he did not have young generational talent and was out of the NHL soon after he left PIT...MS is not special and without young generational talent he...well, we see what he generates. Barely 500 teams for 4 years running, half a decade plus with zero playoff success..or playoffs for that matter. I stand by my belief that without going to a top talent team, MS will be out of the NHL within 5 years of leaving here unless he goes to a heavily stacked team that will cover for his shortcomings with sheer talent.

[penscup]

Nope..just responding to the assertion that Mike Sullivan is not a disappointment because he won 2 cups...as if that means he earned lifelong immunity for his pitiful performances. Bylsma has a better record as coach here, had a better playoff record, and also won a Cup and it did not save him from being ejected post haste.

I don’t think he deserves lifelong immunity, but I do think his hands have been tied somewhat the past few years due to moves that Hextall made as GM and bringing Karlsson in last year.

Acting as if helping bring two Cups to this organization in the past 10 years is barely worth acknowledging or doesn’t buy him a significantly long leash as a worthy coach for this team is foolish and shows just how spoiled many Pens fans have become. (Go talk to Toronto, or Edmonton, or NY, or Philly, or Montreal, or Buffalo fans and hear what they would endure for just 1 Cup in the past 30 years).

[Antonio]

Still does not address the point I made. So, why Sullivan and not Disco? He has not used up whatever goodwill he got already? After a year, two, three, four, five, six? No NHL coach lasts half the time he has been here, cup or not. Certainly not with half a decade plus of failure...its always something else though...never MS apparently.

[penscup]

Still does not address the point I made. So, why Sullivan and not Disco? He has not used up whatever goodwill he got already? After a year, two, three, four, five, six? No NHL coach lasts half the time he has been here, cup or not. Certainly not with half a decade plus of failure...its always something else though...never MS apparently.

2 Cups is far superior to just 1 Cup. You act like that difference is negligible, but it is in fact huge.

Firing Bylsma was necessary because management realized he was wasting too much time during Sid & Geno's prime years. Sullivan's situation is different because he is trying to guide a team that has all of its stars on the tail end of their careers, but since they had so much success here and enjoy playing here still so much, it is tough for management to cut the cord with them and start over and they probably believe no other coach is going to do any better than Sullivan with what they have given him. Plus they are clearly still making good money off of team with the stadium nearly full every night even if they have lost some revenue due to missing playoffs.

Not saying I would have made the same decision as this management but I can see why they did.

[Posterboy]

Assuming the team is near a playoff spot, perhaps they take a different path and deal Pettersson for futures (including a 2nd rounder) and then turn around and deal those futures + to Buffalo (who's reportedly listening on just about everyone) for Bowen Byram. That way, they're still getting younger and are revamping on the fly.

Speaking of BUF and assuming the Pens are in a playoff spot at the deadline, would anyone consider bringing Zucker back? While not a move for getting younger or revamping on the fly he could slot back on Malkin's LW fairly seamlessly I would think. He's a UFA at season's end so it's not a long term commitment but I'm not good at guessing what it would take to get him. Mid-round pick?

I didn't want Zucker the first time and he hasn't gotten better.

Curious why. He had good numbers when healthy, 27 goals his last season with the Pens. He's a heart and soul energy type player who can put up some points. I've always thought of him as a Kunitz-light type guy. Can slot into the first line if injuries occur. So far nobody's stuck on Malkin's LW, Glass or O'Connor haven't been great as far as production for a second liner.

[pekkasteele]

2 Cups is far superior to just 1 Cup. You act like that difference is negligible, but it is in fact huge.

Firing Bylsma was necessary because management realized he was wasting too much time during Sid & Geno's prime years. Sullivan's situation is different because he is trying to guide a team that has all of its stars on the tail end of their careers, but since they had so much success here and enjoy playing here still so much, it is tough for management to cut the cord with them and start over and they probably believe no other coach is going to do any better than Sullivan with what they have given him. Plus they are clearly still making good money off of team with the stadium nearly full every night even if they have lost some revenue due to missing playoffs.

Not saying I would have made the same decision as this management but I can see why they did.

The thing is, that is not an excuse since Sully rather play an older Acciari that is not better than a younger Puljujärvi, and there are so many different cases like that. He don't want to play younger guys. Sure, the core is older, but he have the possibility to lower the average age of the team if he want, and would probably preform better.